In Fresno State’s 17-10 win over San Jose State on Oct. 15, David Perales recorded an absurd five tackles for loss and four sacks. The defensive end made his presence known, something he did throughout his Fresno State career.
Perales finished the 2022 season with 47 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, and 11.5 sacks. Two of the sacks came in the team’s loss to USC, as Perales looked the part of a future NFL player against one of the best Power Five teams in the country. He forced a pair of fumbles on the season, ending his career at Fresno State with nine forced fumbles.
FCS beginnings
By the end of his career, Perales was a difference-maker for one of the better Mountain West programs. At the beginning of his career, Perales played at a JUCO before joining an FCS team, Sacramento State, for the 2018 season. During that year, he started 10 games for the Hornets and finished the season with 7.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.
He quickly elevated his game in the following seasons. He sat out in 2019 as he transferred to Fresno State before becoming a key contributor in 2020. In 2021 and 2022, Perales blossomed into a dominant force.
Perales earned First Team All-Conference honors in 2022. His 11.5 sacks were the most by a Fresno State player since 2001, and he became the first defensive lineman to record an interception since 2018.
Fresno State’s star defensive lineman was a consistent force throughout the 2022 season, and he was a monster during the middle of the season. The Bulldogs played their best football after the first few weeks of the year, and it helped that Perales stepped up his game over that time.
NFL Draft stock
Perales figures to be a middle-to-late-round draft selection this spring. His motor and bend are impressive traits that jump out when watching his highlights. The defensive lineman never seems to quit on a play, and he was able to take advantage of Mountain West quarterbacks who held onto the ball for too long.
When quarterbacks weren’t decisive with the football, Perales often used second and third rushing moves to generate sacks. He forced offensive linemen to try to stop him for multiple seconds, and his speed and power were often too much for the blockers.
Perales does well to get below offensive tackles, dipping under them to create leverage on his way to the quarterback. His pass-rushing tools are solid, which makes him an intriguing prospect for NFL teams hoping to bolster their pass rush off the edge.
Batting balls at the line of scrimmage is another strong suit for Perales. He finished the season with five passes defended in 2022, including three in the final four games of the year.
The Mountain West standout is listed at 6-foot-3 and 255 pounds, giving him ideal size to play defensive end/edge at the NFL level. When it comes to potential gems in the middle and later rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft, Perales’ name should come up.
Bennett Conlin is a college football contributor for HERO Sports, and he works full-time covering sports betting industry news and legislation for Sports Handle and US Bets.
